


Lost in Silence

by Lazchan



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 10:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5123984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazchan/pseuds/Lazchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zeno talks to Ik-su, one priest to another, about his prayers reaching the heavens. So a sort of Halloween ficlet; where it’s more of the “veil between the worlds is thinner” sort of thing, rather than anything overtly creepy or silly. Zeno has a talk, one priest to another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost in Silence

"Priest…" Ik-su looked over at the quiet voice and he smiled softly. It was Zeno, the first and last of the dragons that protected Yona. His expression was deeply serious and he looked older than the seventeen years his eternal body had given him.

 

"Yes?" he patted the ground next to him. "You're up awfully late, Zeno. I'm surprised you're not with the others. What brings you to me tonight?"

 

Zeno's smile was fleeting. "Zeno needs your help," he said softly. "Tomorrow is a good day for it; Zeno is sure you know. It's not so common as it used to be, ever since…" He winced. Ik-su had been directly affected by Yu-hon's actions of getting rid of the priests and Su-won wasn't exactly helping with encouraging people talking with priests and the gods.

 

Ik-su turned his face away for a moment. "Yes, I know," he murmured. The loss of that connection to the people and how they treated him and other priests afterward still cut deeply. "People used to come far and wide to have their voices reach their loved ones in the heavens, to bring them offerings and wish them peace." He cleared his throat. "Did you want  _my_  help?"

 

Zeno nodded, squeezing his hands together. "Zeno hasn't been able to reach the heavens in a long, long time. He doesn't know if they hear his voice anymore or if Zeno isn't … if Zeno isn't right to be talking to them, since he will never go back to them." Ik-su could see how he was trembling and wondered, fleetingly, if he had shared this with any of his companions. He felt honored and touched that Zeno was trusting him. "Zeno would like to have his voice reach some of those he … he lost and loved years ago."

 

"Were you a priest before, Zeno?" Ik-su asked gently. "Forgive me for prying; I only know what you told me and what the heavens let me know—" he tilted his head to the side. 

 

Zeno nodded and wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his head on his knees. "Yeah. Before Zeno was given Ouryuu's blood, he was a priest in his village and traveled all around, just like you did. Then Ouryuu came and the heavens were silent for Zeno after that. He couldn't hear the gods anymore."

 

"But you still see the spirits of the dead." Ik-su watched him beneath his bangs, waiting for a protest of some sort, but it never came. Instead, Zeno nodded in agreement.

 

"Yeah, but those are the ones that are sticking around Zeno's family, the dragons that came beforehand, all waiting for Hiryuu." His voice was quiet. "They waited just like Zeno waited and I think they stay around still because Hiryuu is back and if they went to the heavens now, they wouldn't be near Hiryuu."

 

Ik-su nodded; he could understand the reasoning that Zeno presented. Generation after generation waited for their lost god to come back to them and Zeno who waited alone throughout the centuries. Zeno who could see the spirits of those who waited with him, but not the ones that found peace in the heavens. "Alright," he murmured, "but do you want to do this alone or would you like your family with you?" he asked gently. "I think all of us here have people that they would like to reach and you and I together can teach them about the long-forgotten tradition."

 

Zeno thought about that and nodded after a moment. "Zeno then asks if you can at least… in private, look after one particular spirit," he said softly. "The others know that Zeno was married, but that's all Zeno said. Will you reach out and give her my private prayer for my voice to reach? Tell Kaya that Zeno is sorry," he whispered. "That he couldn't be with her in the heavens."

 

Ik-su blinked, trying to hide his astonishment that with all the years that Zeno lived and all the ghosts and spirits that he had seen, he never saw the one that lingered by his side. Still—he agreed and pressed his hands together. "I'll make sure that she hears your voice."

 

_And that one day, you will hear hers once again._


End file.
